Myanmar 2007
In January of 2007, I was able to travel to Myanmar as a guest of the MettaDana Project, Sayadaw U Lakkhana and the Kyaswa Monastery, Wachet Jivitadana Sangha Hospital and Dr. Cody Burch. It was an honor, thank you all.
I tagged along on a project that brought doctors and medical supplies from the United States, the UK and Australia to the Wachet Jiitadana Sangha Hospital, in the village of Wachet. This village sits just outside of Sagaing and Mandalay, Myanmar. This entire area was the epicenter of a massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit last week. My heart is with the people on the ground there, picking up the pieces.
In 2007, Myanmar had very little infrastructure, and with this earthquake they are starting over again. If you are interested in finding out more or supporting financially, I would go first to this organization. They have years of experience of getting supplies and resources into this country, and working with all the 'powers that be’ to do so. https://vipassanahawaii.org/mettadana/spring-2025-myanmar-mettadana-project-update/
The Village of Wachet, the Monastary, school, hospital and the roads and path in between, in color.
The Village of Wachet, the Monastary, school, hospital and the roads and path in between, in black and white
I look at these images now and wish I had taken more, turned the other way, captured things differently … and then I remember that when I did try to do those things, I would be surprised by my friendly government handlers. Reminding me to go back, look the other way, telling me the names of the places they knew I went that day. I wasn’t allowed to see the bridges, or the town centers, or stay too long.
Since 2007, I’m sure things have become even more ‘complicated’ as one of my friends used to say. And by complicated, we sometimes mean dangerous. So, the photos here show a story, not the whole one … but the one I was allowed to see back in early 2007. Photography is a give and take.
I’m posting these images to the internet world in the hopes of them being a small offering of a photo album for my friends in Myanmar. These students are adults now, with families. This village has grown another generation, or two. The work of this school and these healthcare professionals have continued.
My favorite day of the trip was the final day working with the students, after the program had ended. The students were returning to their families and lives, in Mandalay and we (the doctors and I) were headed back out of the country. The students took us on a bike tour of the city. We traveled in a pack of bikes, one or two to a bike, along the roads of Mandalay from house to house. From tea to tea. These are some photos from that day, the families who welcomed us in and also stepped out for a photo.
Mandalay by bike, the best day
And a few frames from the rest of Myanmar
All photos ©Kate Russell
